This is the fourth year Appalachian will host 25 of Africa’s emerging civic leaders — ages 25–35 — for a six-week Leadership Institute that includes volunteer service opportunities, visits with state and local government officials, and more.

Professor Jason Miller speaks with WFDD’s Eddie Garcia about designing housing for adults with autism and about a collaboration between Appalachian State University’s Department of Sustainable Technology and LIFE Village, a nonprofit that provides services for exceptional individuals.

Appalachian’s invitees will each serve in one of six different work sectors — agriculture, community economic development, education, environment, health, and youth in development — in 10 countries located on four continents around the globe.

Eric Gormly, program director of student veteran services, is the drawing winner. He received a received a Staff Shout Out for being a volunteer coordinator for Appalachian’s December 2018 commencement ceremonies.

Cara Hagan, assistant professor in Appalachian’s Department of Theatre and Dance, spent nearly 18 months creating “Sound and Sole,” a short film that “shines a light on the rich African-American culture here in Appalachia.”

During fall 2018, students and faculty in the Building Science Architectural Design Studio III at Appalachian worked with the LIFE Village board to design living spaces that meet the needs of adults with autism.

Take a look back at the many projects students, faculty and staff have completed alongside community partners through the years as part of the annual challenge honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Dula family reunions in western North Carolina include members of the black and white sides of the family. But for decades these two sides did not communicate or even acknowledge their relation. Filmmaker Beth Davison, a faculty member at Appalachian State University, explored this story in her recent documentary “Dulatown.”

As most visitors can quickly tell, the restaurant and cafe in South Charleston, West Virginia is located inside a former church building. But Cafe Appalachia is about more than food. It’s nourishment for the community and intended to serve as a support tool in helping fight the opioid epidemic by providing a safe learning and working environment for women in long-term recovery programs, says Cheryl Laws, the founder and chief executive of the nonprofit organization Pollen8.

According to a new study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, people who prioritize moral purity over compassion are more likely to dehumanize gay and transgender people, which leads to more prejudice and support for discriminatory public policies. “After the Supreme Court decision affirming marriage equality and the debate over bathroom rights for transgender people, we realized that the arguments were often not about facts but about opposing moral beliefs,” said lead author Dr. Andrew E. Monroe, from Appalachian State University.